Letter from William Ashby to Albert G. Browne declining Samuel Downer's invitation to the reunion

Letter from William Ashby to Albert G. Browne declining Samuel Downer's invitation to the reunion

In this two-page letter William Ashby thanks Albert G. Browne for his invitation to the reunion of the Free Soil Party, saying that it would give him great pleasure to meet and reminisce about the events of 1848. However, at the age of ninety he is growing infirm both in body and mind and therefore must stay home. He says that he hopes the meeting is a success with a great deal of reminiscing, and that everyone remembers that there are still battles to be fought, especially with the tensions between capital and labor.

Downer, Samuel, 1807-1881

Browne, Albert G. (Albert Gallatin), 1805-1885

Reunions

Abolitionists

Abolition movement

Political parties

Amusement parks

Invitations

Gratitude

Happiness

Nostalgia

Sick persons

Older people

Social classes

Quarreling

Ashby, William, 1787-1881

Hingham Public Library

1877 August 1

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English

Correspondence

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Newburyport (Mass.)

Hingham (Mass.)

1848

1877 August 9

Hingham Public Library

Newburyport Aug^st 1 1877

A G Browne Esq^r

Respected Friend, my hearty thanks are due you for the kind invitation of S Downer Esq^r to attend the meeting of the free soilers of 1848 at the Melville gardens on the 9^th of the present month. I[t] would be a great pleasure to me to meet on this occasion to recal[sic] the memories of that year and its before and after which ten-ded to final free soil and emancipation but at the age of Ninety (90) with all its growing infirmaties[sic] of body and mind must put the veto and tell me my social pleasures must be within the …[illegible]… circle of my home. I hope there will be a full meeting and in bringing the memories of the past and tend to spur on the resolve and efforts of this meeting with the good common since of the …[illegible]… at large may proposed such measures tending to allay the allarming[sic] which now sorroweth us by the strife between Capital and labor, and find the lasting and happy medium between a dry crust and an overflow-ing bowl. My thanks are due through you to S Downer Esq^r for his kind in-vitation may the oil of his generous hospitalities flow on as pure and un- adulterated (with that of his manufactory's) run purer than ever trickled down Aarons beard and garments.

With very friendly greetings may we yet meet again, and again.

                                I am truly yours

                                                William Ashby

(Excuse a trembling hand)

8" x 10"